Crokicurl combines curling and crokinole, a Canadian boardgame. During the 2021-2022 winter, we invested in North Dakota’s first crokicurl rink in Citizen’s Alley. We wanted to foster and assess the community’s desire for family-friendly outdoor winter activities. This free opportunity for family fun was promoted on the Aksal Group’s social media and in partnership with Minot’s Convention and Visitors Bureau. The rink was promoted on the Visit Minot website, blog, social media, and through a coordinated press event. The rink was also promoted as an add-on downtown activity by nearby businesses and a local nonprofit.

The feedback from this experience told us that the public wanted more — a larger ice rink where people could not only curl but also ice skate and play hockey. The following winter, we launched the Citizens Alley Ice Rink.